Screw compressor system

ABSTRACT

A screw compressor system which is designed to be compact and flexible with a modular design such that a screw compressor block, an oil separation container, an oil supply duct for a temperature regulator and an air intake duct are combined in a base housing having a lid. A further module component provided is a multifunction block in which a fine separator, an oil return, a minimum pressure-maintaining valve with a pure air outlet, an oil temperature regulator, an oil filter and connections for a sensor are combined.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a screw compressor system of the type which conventionally has a screw compressor block, a pressure control valve, optionally with an air filter apparatus, an oil separation tank, an oil circulation system with an oil temperature controller, an oil filter and connections for a cooler, a fine separator with an oil return apparatus and a pressure maintaining valve in a clean air outlet.

2. Description of Related Art

A screw compressor system of the initially mentioned type is known, for example, from German Patent DE 100 33 154 C2.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to develop a screw compressor system of the aforementioned type such that it will achieve a construction that is as compact as possible with flexibility that is as great as possible with respect to the manner of design of the screw compressor system. Also, the construction principle in accordance with the invention can be used in screw compressor systems with a different construction.

In accordance with the invention, a screw compressor system which comprises the initially named functional parts is made available which is characterized in that it is designed as a modular construction to be compact and flexible such that the screw compressor block, the oil separation tank, the oil supply duct for the oil temperature controller and the air intake duct are combined in a base housing with a lid and/or that the fine separator, the oil return, the minimum pressure-maintaining valve with the clean air outlet, the oil temperature controller, the oil filter and the connections for the cooler are combined in a multifunction block.

To achieve a design of the screw compressor system which is as compact as possible but which can also be flexibly varied, in accordance with the invention, to achieve a modular construction, a base housing can be used into which corresponding functional parts of the screw compressor system are integrated, and furthermore, a multifunction block which can be variably used in a flexible manner and into which other functionally important parts of the screw compressor system are integrated can be used. The screw compressor system in accordance with the invention thus, in the manner of a modular system, comprises two base components, specifically a base housing with a lid and/or a multifunction block. In this way, the screw compressor system in accordance with the invention can be adapted to the respectively desired requirements and demands. In this case, there are common base components in the modular system, as a result of which a construction which is more favorable to production with reduced production costs can be implemented.

Other preferred configurations and details of the screw compressor system in accordance with the invention are explained in detail below using a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a screw compressor system in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the screw compressor system shown in FIG. 1 in the assembled state,

FIG. 3 is a perspective partially exploded view of the above embodiment of a screw compressor system viewed in a direction looking at the operator side and the drive side of the system,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the screw compressor system as shown in FIG. 3 in the mounted assembly position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The same or similar parts are labeled with the same reference numbers in the figures. The illustrated embodiment is simply one exemplary embodiment which is not of a character intend to limit the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an overall screw compressor system 1 in accordance with the invention with only the functionally important parts of this screw compressor system being shown. However, the construction principle of the invention in a modular construction can be recognized from the figures of the drawings.

The illustrated screw compressor system 1 comprises a base housing 2 as the base module whose interior can be closed with a lid 3. In this base housing 2, as the base module in the combined arrangement, a screw compressor block, an oil separation tank, an oil supply duct for the oil temperature controller and the air intake duct are integrated. An intake valve 5 with an intake filter 6 mounted on it is shown schematically in FIG. 1 in an exploded view. The intake valve 5 with the intake filter 6 is mounted on the base housing part 2 as shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows a multifunction block 10. In this multifunction block 10, a fine separator, an oil return, a minimum pressure-maintaining valve with a clear air outlet, an oil temperature controller, an oil filter and optional connections for a cooler are combined. This multifunction block 10 can be adapted to the demands and requirements to be satisfied with respect to the filter apparatus and the like. A schematically indicated control unit 11 is dynamically connected to the multifunction block 10.

The assembly representation in FIG. 1 shows that this screw compressor system 1 is designed to be compact and can be flexibly adapted with respect to requirements.

In addition, FIGS. 3 and 4 show details with respect to a drive side 15 and an operator side 16.

Thus, the multifunction block 10 is located on the operator side 16 of the screw compressor system 1 and is therefore easily accessible for necessary maintenance work without other functional parts of the screw compressor system 1 having to be dismounted. The drive side 15 lies somewhat at a right angle to the operator side 16 on which the multifunction block 10 is located and attached. Thus, there is unhindered access to the drive side 15 of the screw compressor system 1.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the above described design details so that numerous changes and modifications are possible without departing from the essence of the invention which can be seen in that the functionally necessary components of a screw compressor system 1 as a module component in the manner of a modular system, on the one hand, are assigned to a base housing 2 as the base module, and on the other hand, to a multifunction block 10 as a further functional component in order to enable a compact and flexible design of the screw compressor system in accordance with the invention. 

What is claimed is: 1-8. (canceled)
 9. A screw compressor system, comprising: a screw compressor block, a pressure control valve, an oil separation tank, an oil circulation system with an oil temperature controller, an oil filter and connections for a cooler, a fine separator with an oil return apparatus, and a minimum pressure-maintaining valve with a clean air outlet, and at least one of a base module component comprised of a base housing with a lid in which the screw compressor block, in which the oil separation tank, the oil supply duct for the oil temperature controller and the air intake duct are combined as individual modular units, and a second module component formed of a multifunction block with which the fine separator, the oil return, the minimum pressure-maintaining valve with the clean air outlet, the oil temperature controller, the oil filter and the connections for the cooler are combined as individual modular units.
 10. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 9, wherein both said base housing with a lid in which the screw compressor block, the oil separation tank, the oil supply duct for the oil temperature controller and the air intake duct are combined and said multifunction block with which the fine separator, the oil return, the minimum pressure-maintaining valve with the clean air outlet, the oil temperature controller, the oil filter and the connections for the cooler are combined, are provided.
 11. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the multifunction block is located on an operator side of the screw compressor system.
 12. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the screw compressor block is located above an oil level in the base housing.
 13. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, wherein an outlet tube, ribs and baffle plates are provided and through which a compressed air-oil mixture is routed, being repeatedly deflected by the ribs and baffle plates, from a front corner of the base housing above an oil level to an outlet opening which is located diagonally on another upper corner of the base housing and into the air intake duct to the fine separator.
 14. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, comprising a plurality of different lids for the base housing, separation and oil tank volumes being variable by selection of different ones of the plural lids.
 15. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, wherein different multifunction blocks which comprise different components according to size and number are connectable to the base housing.
 16. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the multifunction block is constructed in a manner enabling the minimum pressure-maintaining valve with the clean air outlet to be installed in different directions and set for different pressures.
 17. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, wherein an oil fill fitting having vertical position which determines the oil level is located is located on a corner between an operator side and a drive side of the base housing.
 18. The screw compressor system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an air filter apparatus. 